Early America: Colonialism & Settlement

The Spanish Settlement

New SpainBy the fifteen hundreds, several European nations, including Spain, had sent explorers to claim land in the Americas. Most explorers stepped onto a beach and claimed the land for hundreds of miles around. They knew little about the lands they were claiming. After claiming the lands, these explorers moved on. No one stayed behind to protect the claims.Competing ClaimsThe European countries were competing with each other to win control of as much of the Americas as possible. Often more than one country claimed the same land. Native Americans already lived in most places the explorers claimed. Usually, no one paid attention to anyone else´s rights or claims.Spain had already claimed large parts of the Americas. However, Spain learned that claiming land was not the same as controlling it. Spain came to understand that it needed to protect its lands in the Americas from other European nations. Spain also tried to overpower Native American tribes and take their lands.Spain formed colonies to protect its lands and to govern the people there. A colony is a land ruled by another country. The colony of New Spain was formed in 1535, with most of its land in Mexico and its capital in Mexico City. New Spain also included many islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Spanish lands north of what is now Panama.

St. Augustine and Santa FeSpanish soldiers led the way, building presidios , or forts, in the borderlands. In 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and 1,500 soldiers, sailors, and settlers sailed from Spain. The same year they reached the area that is now St. Augustine, Florida. Why is this important? It was at St. Augustine they built the first permanent, or long-lasting, European settlement in what is now the United States.Spain´s main goal in settling the borderlands was to protect its empire. The Spanish king chose leaders to govern each new settlement. Settlers in the new colonies did not have the right to elect their own leaders. The king also sent missionaries to convert Native Americans to Christianity.The missionaries built religious settlements called missions in many areas of the southern half of North America. In 1610, Spanish missionaries helped settle Santa Fe, the capital of the New Mexico Colony. In such places, missionaries and Native Americans lived very near each other.